that's what friends are for

hey... once again, for my monthly update on this blog of mine... hehehe =)

guess some of you knew that i went on a hike/trek with kenneth and his guys in malaysia... we went to mount lambak in kluang. was pretty excited to go for that trip... not coz of the climb of course, but for the bak kut teh at the end of the climb. hahaha. but more of that later.

as you know, i'm a pretty unfit person. i hardly exercised since i came back from the uk. hahaha... desk bound job... usually dead beat after work... where to find the time to exercise? (guess that's a lame excuse) so anyway, as we started at the foot of the hill, i felt alright... until about 1/4 way up... started panting and feeling really exhausted. even had thoughts of turning back and asking the rest to continue the ascent. and for that moment.. i really did feel like giving up. the first 1/4 of the way was full of steps... some rather steep... and that ate up a lot of my energy.

after much encouragement from the group, i decided to continue to make my way up. just thought it a waste to come all the way and not make it to the top.

the rest of the way up was not so bad. it was very steep, rocky and "rooty"... haha... lots of roots of trees... some exposed. and that's what we used to climb. the roots, the rocks and some ropes that were tied to the trees. so with steep slopes and slippery ground, it's only wise to lookout for the best route, the firmest stone to step on and the strongest root to grab. people who were ahead would also shout out to us behind which way is easier and all...

eventually, we made it to the top.

felt so happy that i made it and at so many points i felt like giving up... especially when people encourage me that we're nearly there... but still not there yet... was tired and really wanted to turn back.

i guess those who went for the climb and found it a long climb would agree with me that the Christian walk is like that. we start at the bottom of the hill and make our way up... along the way your energy gets zapped... you feel like turning back... but it's the encouragement of the community of God that keeps you moving. and you'll look for the best route, the firmest rock to lay your foot on, the strongest root to grab. and the time when you feel most like giving up is when we're nearly there. the fittest were the ones who were ahead... who had the energy to keep going... and this reminded me on having a hunger for God... feeding on His Word so that we are "fit" for the race.

the climb really taught me lots of stuff... more like it internalised many things that i've learnt before.

it's june now... half a year has gone by and i remember that at the beginning of the year that God gave me one word... that's "perseverance". and recently... i asked, "God... why should i persevere?" and the answer was "because you have hope."

wow... was so awed by this... and was then reminded of a verse in Romans, when doing the Romans bible study...

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into the grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5

so why do we persevere? coz we have this hope... this hope that does not disappoint... the hopeof the glory of God.

and i was also reading Isaiah 6... where isaiah was commissioned by God to be His prophet... and how isaiah's lips were cleansed by the burning coal...

then i thought... this cleansing process that the Lord is bringing us, or me, through can be painful... imagine having lips cleansed by burning coal... and at times... i feel really tired... i ask... why God? why do you bother? why do you allow me to recall the past, to see how much it has hurt me? why do you reveal to me the reason to all my fears? why do i always feel the way i do? this is no joke man... it's painful! and i know that it's only through being freed from these fears, being loose of these chains that bind that i'll be able to soar... and that's my dream... to soar... i want to soar...

also remembered a verse in Jeremiah...

"See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:10

this was preached by a pastor from my church before... that the cleansing process will be painful... but it is the past that needs to be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and overthrown, before building and planting can take place. imagine an old house that's to be given a new look... definitely whatever's in it has to be torn down before the new decors can be put in place... and how nice that new house will look =)

final note on perseverance and hope... that's how God loves us... His love is persevering and hoping...

"It [Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:7

also a reminder on how to love the people around me... always persevering... and knowing there's hope.

just some brief takeaway notes that i have over the past week... had to write them down somewhere if not i'll forget... how amazing... God's love for us... it pursues us till the very ends of the earth. hmmm.... i've got some thoughts on that too... will jot them down another time.

oh, and the bak kut teh we had at the end of the climb.. it was marvellous.

and special thanks to the group, esp sophT and daniel... who didn't give up on me, always encouraging me and waiting up for me. special thanks too to kenneth =) for believing in me.

and of course, how could i forget... all thanks and glory to my God... for giving me love and hope.

{ Tuesday, May 31 }